The Everly Brothers

If you’re weary of rock concert DVDs with critical commentary, typically unauthorized and of varying quality, this Everly Brothers retrospective is highly recommended.

Authorized, with participation of Don Everly and a 2010 interview with his younger brother, the late Phil Everly, it’s an expanded version of a 2016 BBC airing, including a previously unseen 1968 concert for Australian TV.

Interviewees include Keith Richards, Graham Nash, Waddy Wachtel, Art Garfunkel, Dave Edmunds, Teddy Thompson, and the brothers’ touring guitarist, Albert Lee, plus Felice Bryant (half of the famed songwriting team with husband Boudleaux) – all driving home the duo’s place in rock history.

In addition to their country-rooted sibling harmonies, they were perhaps the first rock act to put the acoustic guitar front and center – rhythm essentially as lead. Don often used open G tuning, as on “Bye Bye Love” and “Wake Up Little Susie.”

Performances of those hits are shown as well as “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “When Will I Be Loved,” and “Cathy’s Clown” – the latter backed by the Crickets.

It downplays their ’83 reunion and doesn’t mention their 1970 TV show, which featured father Ike, a pioneering fingerpicker. Quibbles, however, regarding this definitive story of rock’s most influential duo.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s June ’17 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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